Photo: Mardetanha · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 02 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Saudi Arabia: Economy & Innovation
What does an economy do for the people inside it?
Saudi Arabia is placed 69th of 176 countries on economy & innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GDP per Capita (PPP) 63,051 (2025); Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit 13.77 (2025).
Economy & Innovation
69th
of 176 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 63,051GDP per Capita (PPP), 2025GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
- 13.77Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit, 2025Firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)
- 0.538Economic Complexity Index, 2024ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)
- 78.84Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, 2024Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Saudi Arabia on economy & innovation — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
GDP per Capita (PPP)
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Output per person: the standard measure of an economy's size set against the population it has to support.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
63,051
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
Higher is better
Saudi Arabia: 63,051. Across the 185 countries in this edition, values run from 1,067 (Burundi) to 139,593 (Singapore); the world median is 17,265.
- World median
- 17,265
- Best in Western Asia
- 110,136 Qatar
- Land neighbours
- Iraq 12,192 · Jordan 10,794 · Kuwait 48,254 · Oman 36,143 · Qatar 110,136
Each grey tick is one of 185 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 4
Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether businesses can borrow from the formal financial system — the firm-level counterpart to adults holding a bank account.
Latest reading per country, 2016–2025 · Saudi Arabia’s is from 2025 · CC BY 4.0
13.77
Firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)
Higher is better
Saudi Arabia: 13.77. Across the 179 countries at their latest reading, values run from 2.113 (Pakistan) to 88.52 (Israel); the world median is 35.95.
- World median
- 35.95
- Best in Western Asia
- 88.52 Israel
- Land neighbours
- Iraq 2.252 · Jordan 39.58 · Kuwait 11.89 · Qatar 9.767 · Yemen 4.69
Each grey tick is one of 179 countries at its latest reading, 2016–2025.
Key 3 of 4
Economic Complexity Index
Growth Lab at Harvard University
Why it is a key: What an economy knows how to make, read from the diversity and rarity of what it exports.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC0 1.0
0.538
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)
Higher is better
Ranked 48th of 145 by Growth Lab at Harvard University
Saudi Arabia: 0.538. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from -3.53 (Chad) to 1.729 (Japan); the world median is 0.131.
- World median
- 0.131
- Best in Western Asia
- 1.334 Israel
- Land neighbours
- United Arab Emirates 0.384 · Iraq -1.463 · Jordan 0.088 · Kuwait 0.314 · Oman -0.546 · Qatar 0.083 · Yemen -1.682
Each grey tick is one of 145 countries in the 2024 edition.
Key 4 of 4
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether ordinary adults are inside the financial system at all, which output per person does not reveal.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
78.84
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+)
Higher is better
Saudi Arabia: 78.84. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 14.83 (Niger) to 99.85 (Iceland); the world median is 72.83.
- World median
- 72.83
- Best in Western Asia
- 96.13 Cyprus
- Land neighbours
- Iraq 30.16 · Jordan 46.46 · Kuwait 74.46 · Oman 69.54
Each grey tick is one of 139 countries in the 2024 edition.
02Over time
Which way Saudi Arabia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
GDP per Capita (PPP)
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) · higher is better
Saudi ArabiaWorld median
Saudi Arabia rose from 55,962 in 2000 to 63,051 in 2025; the world median went from 10,589 to 17,265.
Every year’s figures
Year Saudi Arabia World median 2025 63,051 17,265 2024 63,194 18,108 2023 64,482 17,686 2022 67,179 16,933 2021 62,690 16,260 2020 57,421 15,631 2019 62,648 16,761 2018 61,359 16,349 2017 57,943 16,129 2016 57,308 15,512 2015 58,499 14,857 2014 58,872 14,475 2013 57,998 14,681 2012 59,472 14,631 2011 58,645 13,916 2010 54,912 14,101 2009 51,761 13,655 2008 54,408 14,030 2007 53,318 13,755 2006 54,374 12,983 2005 54,932 12,023 2004 54,197 11,608 2003 52,235 11,183 2002 50,372 11,144 2001 53,309 10,907 2000 55,962 10,589 Economic Complexity Index
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) · higher is better
Saudi ArabiaWorld median
Saudi Arabia fell from 0.703 in 2000 to 0.538 in 2024; the world median went from 0.016 to 0.131.
Every year’s figures
Year Saudi Arabia World median 2024 0.538 0.1310 2023 0.485 0.0710 2022 0.573 0.0580 2021 0.643 0.0010 2020 0.652 0.0470 2019 0.658 0.0300 2018 0.651 -0.0150 2017 0.549 0.0080 2016 0.544 -0.0660 2015 0.584 -0.0600 2014 0.566 -0.0190 2013 0.593 0.0140 2012 0.472 0.0060 2011 0.582 -0.0140 2010 0.551 -0.0020 2009 0.503 0.0990 2008 0.421 0.0700 2007 0.589 -0.0080 2006 0.575 0.0740 2005 0.716 0.0510 2004 0.678 0.0505 2003 0.568 0.0450 2002 0.594 0.0100 2001 0.681 0.0470 2000 0.703 0.0160 Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+) · higher is better
Saudi ArabiaWorld median
Saudi Arabia rose from 46.42 in 2011 to 78.84 in 2024; the world median went from 37.03 to 72.83.
Every year’s figures
Year Saudi Arabia World median 2024 79 73 2021 74 74 2017 72 59 2014 69 52 2011 46 37
03In context
Saudi Arabia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 176 countries on economy & innovation, never a place within the region.
Saudi Arabia and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 176 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | GDP per Capita (PPP)GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) | Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of CreditFirms with a bank loan or line of credit (%) | Economic Complexity IndexECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) | Account Ownership at a Financial InstitutionAdults with an account (% of population aged 15+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 69th | 63,051 | 13.77 | 0.538 | 78.84 |
 Qatar | 84th | 110,136 | 9.767 | 0.083 | — |
 Kuwait | 87th | 48,254 | 11.89 | 0.314 | 74.46 |
 Oman | 92nd | 36,143 | — | -0.546 | 69.54 |
 Jordan | 104th | 10,794 | 39.58 | 0.088 | 46.46 |
 Iraq | 164th | 12,192 | 2.252 | -1.463 | 30.16 |
 United Arab Emirates | not placed | — | — | 0.384 | — |
 Yemen | not placed | — | 4.69 | -1.682 | — |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Western Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 176.
Placed either side on economy & innovation
The countries immediately above and below Saudi Arabia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Saudi Arabia is ahead of the world, and behind
29 more statistics filed under economy & innovation, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median13
Statistics on which Saudi Arabia does better than the middle country measured.
Crop Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.23182.29106.23▲ Improved since 2012
Saudi Arabia: 182.29 · world median 106.23 · Crop production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 53.79 to 189.93; higher is better.
Position 2nd of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Food Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.08172.66106.08▲ Improved since 2012
Saudi Arabia: 172.66 · world median 106.08 · Food production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 71.08 to 177.49; higher is better.
Position 2nd of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Livestock Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 107.06164.71107.06▲ Improved since 2012
Saudi Arabia: 164.71 · world median 107.06 · Livestock production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 35.52 to 190.08; higher is better.
Position 8th of 194 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
GNI per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 14,27361,80514,273▲ Improved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 61,805 · world median 14,273 · GNI per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,181 to 116,633; higher is better.
Position 8th of 102 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 2025 · world median 40.1971.5740.19▲ Improved since 2020
Saudi Arabia: 71.57 · world median 40.19 · AI readiness score (0–100). Oxford Insights, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 12.12 to 88.36; higher is better.
Ranked 15th of 195 by Oxford Insights.
Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 56.21207.8756.21No real change since 2016
Saudi Arabia: 207.87 · world median 56.21 · LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 4.13 to 1,319; higher is better.
Ranked 26th of 175 by UNCTAD.
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.0930.669-0.093▲ Improved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 0.669 · world median -0.093 · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.106 to 2.113; higher is better.
Position 48th of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Logistics Performance IndexWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 2.93.42.9No real change since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 3.4 · world median 2.9 · LPI score (1–5). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.9 to 4.3; higher is better.
Ranked 38th of 139 by World Bank Group.
GDP GrowthWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3.3964.5023.396▼ Worsened since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 4.502 · world median 3.396 · GDP growth (annual %). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -5.847 to 19.34; higher is better.
Position 56th of 186 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Global Innovation IndexWorld Intellectual Property Organization · 2025 · world median 28.5236.0428.52▲ Improved since 2022
Saudi Arabia: 36.04 · world median 28.52 · GII score (0–100). World Intellectual Property Organization, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.94 to 65.96; higher is better.
Ranked 46th of 139 by World Intellectual Property Organization.
ICT Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 0.9752.250.975▲ Improved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 2.25 · world median 0.975 · ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.45; higher is better.
Position 45th of 119 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
World Energy Trilemma IndexWorld Energy Council · 2023 · world median 63.866.963.8No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 66.9 · world median 63.8 · Trilemma score (0–100). World Energy Council, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 27.7 to 83.2; higher is better.
Ranked 38th of 99 by World Energy Council.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.951,235701.95No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 1,235 · world median 701.95 · Researchers per million inhabitants (full-time equivalent). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.446 to 18,130; higher is better.
Position 56th of 145 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Saudi Arabia does worse than the middle country measured.
Research and Development SpendingUIS · 2023 · world median 0.8140.4950.814▼ Worsened since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 0.495 · world median 0.814 · Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 6.346; higher is better.
Position 52nd of 84 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.427.42925.42No real change since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 7.429 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 139th of 170 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No better end14
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Industry Value Added including Construction (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 24.6542.9724.65No real change since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 42.97 · world median 24.65 · Industry, including construction, value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.228 to 75.09.
Position 11th of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 1.70825.571.708Moved since 2011
Saudi Arabia: 25.57 · world median 1.708 · Natural resources rents (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.03.
Position 16th of 180 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 22.9331.6322.93No real change since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 31.63 · world median 22.93 · Gross capital formation (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.679 to 45.27.
Position 16th of 131 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Gross Savings (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 22.0630.3822.06Moved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 30.38 · world median 22.06 · Gross savings (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -21.13 to 47.82.
Position 31st of 146 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 11.2615.8211.26Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 15.82 · world median 11.26 · Manufacturing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.481 to 43.97.
Position 30th of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
General Government ConsumptionWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 16.2120.6116.21Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 20.61 · world median 16.21 · General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 5.445 to 38.94.
Position 33rd of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,7888,029,5711,827,788Moved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 8,029,571 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 27th of 103 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Foreign Direct Investment InflowsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 1.9682.5551.968Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 2.555 · world median 1.968 · FDI inflows (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -32.97 to 2,221.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.665.43.66Moved since 2012
Saudi Arabia: 5.4 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 36.3429.7436.34Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 29.74 · world median 36.34 · Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.103 to 199.76.
Position 87th of 138 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Trade (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 79.6857.9279.68Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 57.92 · world median 79.68 · Exports plus imports (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.382 to 396.65.
Position 94th of 138 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6.5722.596.572Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 2.59 · world median 6.572 · Agriculture, forestry and fishing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.025 to 47.59.
Position 119th of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 41.7228.1741.72Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 28.17 · world median 41.72 · Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.279 to 196.89.
Position 105th of 138 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Household ConsumptionWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 62.0446.1962.04No real change since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 46.19 · world median 62.04 · Household and NPISH final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 25.21 to 133.34.
Position 117th of 131 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No current reading for Saudi Arabia
Adjusted Net Savings (last 2020), Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Debt Service on External Debt, External Debt Stocks (% of GNI), Gini Index, ICT Services Exports, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10% and Palma Ratio. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Economy & Innovation among Saudi Arabia’s 15 topics
Economy & Innovation is Saudi Arabia’s 8th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Education & Knowledge13th of 1713/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade34th of 1473/3 keys
- Work & Labour45th of 1824/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 50th of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 54th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology56th of 1983/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 59th of 2003/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation69th of 1764/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture83rd of 1754/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience104th of 1923/3 keys
- Peace & Security123rd of 1774/4 keys
- Energy150th of 1933/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties166th of 1983/3 keys
- Gender & Equality169th of 1834/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability178th of 1812/3 keys
No standing on Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on economy & innovation
The three countries placed highest of 176, and the leaders Saudi Arabia can most readily be measured against.
1
AustriaWestern Europe
1st of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
GermanyWestern Europe
3rd of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Japan2nd4/4 keysHighest in Western Asia
Israel13th4/4 keysThis page
Saudi Arabia69th4/4 keys
Positions out of 176 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Saudi Arabia and economy & innovation
On economy & innovation
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On economy & innovation
India vs Pakistan 2025: Comparison of Hunger Index, Happiness, HDI, Rule of Law, Literacy & GDP
India and Pakistan on six published measures: hunger, happiness, human development, rule of law, literacy and GDP per capita. India is the better placed on five of them; Pakistan on one.
On economy & innovation
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
08Questions
Saudi Arabia on economy & innovation: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Saudi Arabia rank on economy & innovation?
Saudi Arabia is placed 69th of 176 countries on Economy & Innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (GDP per Capita (PPP), Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit, Economic Complexity Index and Account Ownership at a Financial Institution). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GDP per Capita (PPP) figure for Saudi Arabia?
63,051 in 2025 (gDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 17,265.
What is the latest Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit figure for Saudi Arabia?
13.77 in 2025 (firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 35.95.
How does Saudi Arabia compare with Iraq on economy & innovation?
Iraq is placed 164th of 176, and Saudi Arabia 69th. GDP per Capita (PPP): Iraq 12,192, Saudi Arabia 63,051; Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit: Iraq 2.252, Saudi Arabia 13.77; Economic Complexity Index: Iraq -1.463, Saudi Arabia 0.538; Account Ownership at a Financial Institution: Iraq 30.16, Saudi Arabia 78.84.
How have Saudi Arabia’s economy & innovation figures changed?
GDP per Capita (PPP) rose from 55,962 in 2000 to 63,051 in 2025; Economic Complexity Index fell from 0.703 in 2000 to 0.538 in 2024; Account Ownership at a Financial Institution rose from 46.42 in 2011 to 78.84 in 2024.
Which economy & innovation statistics are missing for Saudi Arabia?
No current reading is published for Saudi Arabia on Adjusted Net Savings, Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Debt Service on External Debt, External Debt Stocks (% of GNI), Gini Index, ICT Services Exports, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10% and Palma Ratio. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
Explore further
Saudi Arabia, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions=54th of 194
- Work & Labour45th of 182
- Education & Knowledge13th of 171
- Health & Wellbeing=59th of 200
- Development & Human Capital=50th of 196
- Environment & Sustainability178th of 181
- Gender & Equality169th of 183
- Democracy & Civil Liberties166th of 198
- Peace & Security123rd of 177
- Risk & Resilience104th of 192
- Mobility & Trade34th of 147
- Food & Agriculture83rd of 175
- Energy150th of 193
- Digital & Technology56th of 198
- The full Saudi Arabia profile
Nearby, on economy & innovation
The key statistics, for every country
10Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
The total size of an economy is deliberately left out: a very large economy spread over a very large population is not doing more for each person. Growth rates, trade shares and the structure of output (how much is farming, industry or services) are published here as context, because they describe an economy's shape rather than how well it serves people. Jobs and wages have their own topic, Work & Labour.
How the Economy & Innovation standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 40 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2024 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 176 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- GDP per Capita (PPP) — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Economic Complexity Index — Growth Lab at Harvard University, CC0 1.0
- Account Ownership at a Financial Institution — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
The other 29 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Saudi Arabia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Saudi Arabia (banner) — Mardetanha, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Austria — chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Germany — dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Saudi Arabia: Economy & Innovation — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/saudi-arabia/economy